Necklaces and bracelets can be beautiful, but they can also put your life at risk. That is, if you’re planning to go for a swim. If you’re hitting the pool or beach, leave them at your house. Believe it or not, it is not safe to wear jewelry while swimming.
Why You Shouldn’t Wear Jewelry While Swimming
As we close out May, we’re coming to the end of yet
Water Safety Awareness Month 2020. This month, we’ve focused on many of the issues that are affecting swimmers during the coronavirus pandemic. Since restrictions are beginning to lift, let’s end the month with a safety tip you can use any time you step in the water. Loose or shiny jewelry can put you at risk when you’re in the ocean or pool. Below, let’s explore two ways in which wearing jewelry while swimming can get you into trouble.
Sharks Love Shiny Jewelry
Let’s start off with the most extreme scenario. While shark attacks are nowhere near as common as movies and television may lead us to believe, they absolutely are a danger. Shiny objects, like necklaces, earrings or bracelets can catch light. When the sunlight hits them, they basically turn into bright reflective fishing lures… a lure that’s attached directly to you! This can call on some unwanted visitors like sharks. To a similar level, it is also a smart idea to avoid wearing bright or metallic colored bathing suits.
Of course, just because shark attacks aren’t very common, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared. To learn more about avoiding
sharks in the water, read our related blog post.
In the meantime, here’s a quick video about the slim likelihood of a shark attack:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrKhO3t_hLk
Down the Drain
Next, let’s take it to the pool. While everyone should still focus on social distancing, that’s less of an issue in your home pool. We’ve also written other blog posts about how your private swimming pool can provide
excellent health benefits during this current stressful time. As you get back into the water this summer, it’s important that you don’t ignore the basics of swimming safety. When it comes to the risks of swimming with jewelry, don’t forget the dangers of your pool drain. It is possible for loose jewelry to be sucked into the intake of the drain. For a necklace, this can instantly become a strangulation hazard. Either the jewelry will pull tight across your windpipe, or the suction can simply keep you trapped under the water. Obviously, being unable to breathe while trapped by the drain is extremely dangerous. Fortunately, this danger can be avoided by simply not wearing jewelry while swimming.
Keeping Your Jewelry
There you have it. Those are two ways wearing jewelry while swimming can spell trouble. For good measure, there’s one last reason to avoid jewelry in the water: you don’t want to lose it! If a treasured ring slips off in the riptide, good luck getting it back. You’ll be much better off simply not wearing it in the first place. Leave it in your hotel or home. You’ll be glad you did.
